1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an energy conversion mechanism, and more particularly to an apparatus that uses magnets to sustain rotation of a transmission member or flywheel after an initial external power input, the rotation sustaining energy generated by the magnets to sustain rotation of the transmission member of flywheel after the initial energy input hereinafter being referred to as xe2x80x9cautogenic energy.xe2x80x9d The mechanism produces long-sustained energy without causing environmental concerns.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that energy to provide heat, lighting and power can be obtained from several sources. Most energy used today is obtained from fossil fuels, such as crude petroleum, natural gas, and coal. These fossil fuels are used, for example, by an engine to run a car or by a turbine to drive a generator for the production of electricity. However, this process of burning fossil fuels unavoidably results in air pollution problems. In addition, the total amount of the fossil fuels in the earth""s crust is decreasing rapidly due to the high rate of consumption of the earth""s increasing population. Therefore, the energy obtainable from these fossil fuels is limited and may be exhausted sometime in the near future.
More recently, nuclear fuels have become an important source of energy. For example, nuclear fuels have become widely used, primarily to produce electricity with nuclear power plants. Although a virtually unlimited amount of nuclear fuel can be obtained, the normal process of nuclear fission by which it is converted to usable energy in the nuclear power plant, has raised serious safety concerns. Concerns also have been raised regarding the safety of known methods of disposal of nuclear waste.
In some instances, solar, wind, and tidal energy may be used to generate electricity. However, sources of solar, wind, and tidal energy are limited, and the overall quantities of energy obtained from such sources cannot at this time even begin to match the energy demands of our society.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for utilizing long-sustained autogenic energy. Another object of the invention is to provide a mode of energy exploitation that will not harm the environment.
According to the invention, an apparatus for producing autogenic energy includes a base, a first magnetic device, a second magnetic device and a transmission member. The first magnetic device is mounted on the base and has a first magnetic field. The transmission member is mounted movably on the base. The second magnetic device is connected to the transmission member and has a second magnetic field. The second magnetic device is movable together with the transmission member in a first rotational direction (such as clockwise) to pass by the first magnetic device periodically adjacent to what is herein referred to as an xe2x80x9cinteractive positionxe2x80x9d). The first and second magnetic fields interact with one another when the second magnetic device passes by the first magnetic device to exert alternately positive and negative forces on the first and second magnetic devices. Both forces are repulsive since in the present (preferred) arrangement, like poles are always closer than opposite poles. The positive force urges the second magnetic device to move relative to the first magnetic device in the first rotational direction (such as in a clockwise direction). The negative force urges the second magnetic device to move relative to the first magnetic device in a second rotational direction (such as the counter-clockwise direction) that is opposite to the first rotational direction. The second magnetic device is arranged to move toward and away from the first magnetic device, that is, from an interaction position adjacent to the first magnetic device where the positive force is exerted such that the second magnetic device moves away from the first magnetic device in the first rotational direction to produce an inertial force (angular momentum). The second magnetic device together the transmission member is caused by the inertial force (angular momentum), primarily of a flywheel on the transmission member, and the positive force to move through a portion of its path where the magnetic force is negative. That path portion begins at a position, hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9ccounterbalance position,xe2x80x9d where the magnets are distant from each other and the force changes from positive to negative. The inertial force (angular momentum) during this movement, again primarily maintained by a flywheel, is sufficient that the second magnetic device returns in the first direction to and past the interactive position, where the positive force is again exerted so that such movement of the second magnetic device continues repeatedly. That is, the second magnetic device thereby can move periodically from the interaction position through the counterbalance position, and back to the interaction position, by means of the movement of the transmission member in order to maintain an exertion of the positive force on the second magnetic device by virtue of the interaction of the first and second magnetic fields and the inertial force (angular momentum), resulting in continuous movement of the transmission member in the first rotational direction.